Agrifood districts, exports strong as of September 30, 2024: wine, still a leader, grows

The logic of the agrifood district in Italy functions, mainly in the projection towards foreign markets. To confirm it is the Monitor of Italian agrifood districts on 2024, September 30, edited by Research Department di Intesa Sanpaolo, which highlights an overall result of exports of the first nine months of 2024 overcoming 21 billion euros with a progress of 7.7% with current prices compared to the period January-September 2023. It is an evolution in line with the Italian agrifood total (+8.2%) of which the districts represent 42.5% in terms of exported values.
The supply chain of wine districts, which confirms to be the leader in the export, accelerates in the third trimester (trend +7.7%), and brings the accumulated result of the period January-September to brush against 5 billion euros, 4.4% more compared to the first nine months 2023. District No. 1, that of the wines of Langhe, Roero, and Monferrato, leader in the export in 2023, slightly withdraws in trimester July-September (-1.9%), and goes in negative territory in the first nine months 2024 (-1.6%). To weigh are mainly the dynamics towards Switzerland (-32% in the period January-September 2024), and the Uk (-7%), while the flows towards the Usa (+4.9%), Germany (+7.6%), and France (+7.7%) gain ground. From January to September 2024, the district generated exports for 1.46 billion euros. Very positive the dynamic of the district of wines of Veronese (+9.6% in the first nine months for a total of 927 million euros) thanks to the contribution of Germany (+10.8%), the Usa (+7.6%), Switzerland (+40%), and Belgium (+52%). Leap forward in the third trimester for the wines of Colli fiorentini e senesi (trend +18%, 669 million of euros of export) bringing the result of the first nine months 2024 to +11% compared to the same period of 2023 thanks to the success registered overseas (the Usa +9.5% in nine months, Canada +45%). Same evolution for  Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene accelerating in the third trimester (trend +10%, +8% in the nine months, 840 million of euros the export value): the sales on American market fly (+43% in the third trimester, and +18% in the period January-September 2024) under the push of a probable “spare effect” by American buyers waiting for possible duties which could be introduced in the second administration Trump. Boom of sales also towards Canada (+92% in the third trimester, +40% since the beginning of the year). Very good also the performance of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wines (190 million of euros the exports in the period January-September 2024) which mark the most important growth among the districts in the trimester July-September 2024 (+56% compared to the same period 2023).
Also pasta and sweets supply chain continues its growth path in international markets: in the first nine months 2024, it realizes 3.6 billion of export (+7.6% compared to the same period 2023). Among the districts of the supply chain, the major contribution (+18.6%) comes from the district of sweets from Alba and Cuneo, realizing almost 1.5 billion of export in the nine months (and best performance among all the districts, ed). Well also the sweets and pasta from Verona (+13%), while the industry pasta and sweets from Parma withdraws: in the firs nine months 2024, the accumulated gap is about 25 million euros (-2.7%), but, thanks to the contribution of preserves industry, it remains, overall, positive (+1.9%), explains the Monitor.
Also the supply chain of agricultural districts accelerates realizing, in the first nine months of 2024 over 2.9 billion of export (+5.4% compared to the same period 2023). The major contribution comes from the district of apples of South Tyrol with an increase of 20% in the period January-September 2024. Produce from Romagna is strongly recovering to share 546 million euros in the first nine months, +11.6% compared to the same period 2023. The drop on foreign markets continues for Piedmontese hazelnut and fruit (-16% in the first nine months).
The supply chain of preserves positively contributes to the dynamic of export in agrifood districts with a +5% in the first nine months, and an increase of 112 million euros. Very positive the industry of preserves of Parma, +15.3% in the period January-September 2024 (such as to compensate the negative ongoing of pasta and sweets industry in the district). The district of preserves of Nocera closes positive in the balance sheet January-September 2024 (trend +2%).
Slight progress in the nine months for the supply chain of meats and cured meats (+3.1%) corresponding to 59 million euros more. Meats from Verona realizing 23 million of increase on foreign markets (+4.6%) stand out. Also cured meats from South Tyrol (+15.1%, about 10 million euros more), and the cured meats of Parma (+5.2%, in growth of about 20 million euros) grow.
The dairy supply chain, overall, improves by 5.2% in the first nine months 2024 (95 million euros more), almost entirely realized by dairy industry from Parma (+38.3%). In progress also the dairy industry from Reggio Emilia (+16.7%), while the Sardinian dairy industry (-2%), Mozzarella di bufala campana (-1%), and the dairy sector from South-eastern Lombardy slightly drop (-2.2%).
The supply chain of coffee (trend +9,5% tin the first nine months 2024) with optimal ongoing for all the three districts which compose it. Coffee, confectionery and chocolate from Turin realizes 718 million of sales abroad (+7.7%), but also coffee from Trieste (+15.4%), and coffee and confectionery from Naples (+9.7%) are also positive.
The supply chain of oil is the one that most contributes to the growth of exports of agrifood districts: in the first nine months 2024, 522 million of euros of export more (+52.4%) with current prices were realized. The Tuscan district of oil realizes 389 million of euros more (+56%), and also the ongoing of Umbrian oil (+33%) and the oil and pasta industry from Bari (+60%) are positive.
The supply chain of rice substantially closes unvaried (-0.3% in the first nine months 2024). The two districts composing it have a similar ongoing: rice from Pavia -0.4%, rice from Vercelli -0.2%. In the end, well the district of fish from Polesine, and Venice: +11.6% in the first nine months 2024.
Germany confirms to be the first commercial partner for the products of agrifood districts in the first nine months 2024 (trend +6.9%); double-digit increases also towards the Usa (+17%), well the flows destined to France (+5.4%), while the Uk is stable (+0.7%). Emerging economies, representing 20% of the total of agrifood district exports grow by 6.8% in the third trimester (+8.7% in the nine months), against a +9,8% of advanced economies (+7.5% in the period January-September 2024). Among these, Poland (+1.,9% in the nine months), Romania (+14.5%), Brazil (+14.4%), and Russia (+10.2%), are signaled. Well also China (+7%) thanks to the sprint in the third trimester (+15.6%),
Massimiliano Cattozzi, responsible direction Agribusiness Intesa Sanpaolo underlined how “Italian agrifood supply chain further reinforces in foreign markets obtaining increasing appreciation of its quality, biodiversity, and tradition. Factors that our bank contributes to consolidate as strategic thanks to tools and consultation offered to the advantage of competitiveness, productive excellence, and sustainable innovation of the companies of the industry. This is testified by the almost 7,000 businesses which we have accompanied in the access to Pnrr bans contributing to the success of food made in Italy”.